Period pieces dominate Korean cinema, TV Hyun Bin, left, Kim Soo-hyun, center, and Ha Ji-won, right, are some ofthe stars who will highlight new works set in the ancient kingdoms of Joseon and Goryeo. / Korea TimesBy Do Je-haePeriod pieces known as "sageuk” have been the dominant force in film and on TV this year.The three major broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS each started the year with airing new sageuk. In total they will have aired 13 period pieces by the end of 2013, which is more than any previous year in Korean broadcast history.Star actors Hyun Bin and Lee Jeong-jae, and actress Ha Ji-won will make highly-anticipated comebacks in historical dramas in the coming months.FilmsAfter Hyun Bin was released from military service in April, the first thing he did was to announce that he will star in a historical drama for the first time.The 30-year-old had reached stardom through lead roles in romantic comedies such as the 2005 “My Name is Kim Sam-soon” and 2010 “Secret Garden.” Since his debut, however, he has never performed in a period piece either in film or on TV. His first sageAug 2, 2013By Do Je-hae
'Be different' (Interview with Lee Jung-hyun) A scene from singer Lee Jung-hyun’s latest single “V,” the music video of which was directed by Park Chan-wook and Park Chan-kyung./ Courtesy of AVA Films & EntertainmentSinger Lee Jung-hyun spills beans on lifeBy Park Si-sooA female solo singer in Korea is not usually forthcoming about their romantic life or about wanting a boyfriend. But hallyu star Lee Jung-hyun was direct and frank. At 33, many friends of her have already married or, at least, have a person who they are dating seriously.Yet she is still single and unattached ― officially.“I really want to have a boyfriend,” Lee said with a bashful smile. “I had my last boyfriend three years ago. He was not an entertainer.” She didn’t elaborate. Lee said she doesn’t care much about age, nationality and career; instead she is looking for a person with a strong sense of responsibility and commitment.“Even if I have a boyfriend, I will keep it a secret until marriage,” she said.The veteran entertainer said she finds herself increasingly vulnerable to feelings Aug 1, 2013
Playing hide and seek with her By Oh Young-jinIt turned out to be a game of hide and seek.A group of three reporters asked all kinds of questions to force her to reveal her true color. She avoided few questions but didn’t really give herself away either.In hindsight, I felt I fell for her and became an “accomplice” sabotaging our own mission.I betrayed my two other colleagues. I wasn’t sure they didn’t do the same.At the end of an interview with singer-cum-actress Lee Jung-hyun, I came to know little more than I already knew about her.When I arrived at the newsroom at a bit past 1 p.m. Wednesday, the interview was already under way in our small studio. Besides the two reporters, a video cameraman and a still photographer were also at work. I stepped inside and thrust my hand to her for a handshake.She took it with a soft grasp. It didn’t match the level of strength I had expected from the power dancer she is known to be.Momentarily I suspected she didn’t give it her full strength because she feared it would surprise me, if she did.Or she may have chosen to playAug 1, 2013By Oh Young-jin
Lee back as `zombie' bride By Kim Ji-soo Singer Lee Jung-hyunThe cover of singer Lee Jung-hyun’s special single, “V.”A “zombie” bride appears amid a house swing pop tune. Fully clad in puffed-up wedding gown, the zombie bride executes curt, angular dance moves to the catchy song “V.”Lee Jung-hyun, 33, is back on the Korean stage.She released “V,” a special single, this month to keep a promise she made to her fans three years ago in 2010. Two films “Juvenile Offender” and “Myung-ryang, the Crying Sea” kept her away from music until now.“It’s amazing, the pace the fans from other countries are responding to the song. I am grateful to hallyu fans,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Times.Hallyu, meaning “Korean wave,” refers to the popularity that Korean pop music, drama and film is enjoying overseas, mainly in Asia. For the music video for “V,” director Park Chan-wook and his brother Park Chan-kyung, who is also a director, chipped in their talents.Lee, a singer and actress, has beenAug 1, 2013By Kim Ji-soo
Korea cleared to export tangerines to US By Park Si-soo Tangerines grown on Jeju Island are shown in this file photo.Korea has been cleared to resume exporting tangerines to the United States as the latter has eased its regulation on a pesticide that is widely used in domestic tangerine farms. The exports have been put on hold since 2010 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the ban on the imports of fruits treated with Mancozeb, the pesticide used to protect fruit, vegetable and field crops against a wide spectrum of fungal diseases. But the agency has recently decided to soften the stance, saying in a bulletin issued on July 24 that it will allow the imports of tangerine containing 10 milligrams of the pesticide or less per one kilogram. It was rare pleasant news for local tangerine famers who were grappling with declining sales amid the prolonged economic downturn. Experts said farmers will be able to make up for their losses in domestic market with gains in the U.S.“This is very good news for domestic tangerine farmers,” said a spokesman for the Jeju Citrus Growers Agricultural CoJul 31, 2013
f(x) invades major Korean music charts K-pop girl band f(x)Heralding that they are back, f(x)’s new song and a second album is flying high.The songs from the second new album “Pink Tape” released on July 29 is staking out top 10 spots in major Korean music charts. The title song of the second album “Rum Pum Pum Pum” ranked No.1 in eight music charts, including Melon, Mnet.com, Olleh Music, Naver Music, Daum Music, and Bugs Music. The dance song attracts their fans with addictive guitar sounds and catchy melodies adding ‘Rum Pum Pum Pum’ into the lyrics. Other songs on the album such as “Shadow” and “Goodbye Summer” also charted in the top 10 in several music charts. At the same day, female quartet Brown Eyed Girls ranked second on the chart with their new fifth album “Black Box.” Their title tune “Kill Bill” ranked second in major music charts. “Kill Bill” is co-composed by the group leader Zea and composer Kyuhyun Lee. The song starts with a whistle sound drawing a cowboy scene with strong pop beats.Jul 31, 2013
Medipost paves way for 'stem cell era' Yang Yoon-sun, CEO of Medipost beside the company’s sign at her office in southern Seoul.‘Korea should ramp up basic research to keep stem cell leadership’By Park Si-sooThe technological prowess of Samsung Electronics and other Seoul-based IT companies has played a crucial role in lifting Korea’s international profile.Amid intensifying challenges, however, the country is desperate to nurture another industry to keep up the upward trend.Opinions vary when it comes to the next big thing. Some argue that the automobile industry, led by Hyundai Motor, will keep up the trend, while others insist that its fate hinges on “soft power,” referring to the Korean wave, or “hallyu.”It still remains to be seen what will serve as the next growth engine of Asia’s fourth largest economy and grow with full state support. Yet it’s clear that stem cell therapy industry is emerging as a strong contender.Three out of five mass-produced stem cell-based drugs for commercial use in the world were developed in Korea. The other two were created in CanJul 31, 2013
Jang Keun-suk to hold fest in Japan Actor Jang Keun-sukHallyu darling Jang Keun-suk will hold the ZIKZIN Festival from Aug. 2-4 in Osaka and Aug. 24-25 in Tokyo, according to his agency Tree J Company.The festival is named after his own fashion brand ZIKZIN, which will feature the performances of his project group Team-H, offering other facilities such as food courts, post office, photo studio and costume shop. The festival is expected to become a small theme park featuring an artistic environment where visitors can enjoy amusement and entertainment.Particularly, the festival will be aired across 57 theaters in Japan to celebrate his birthday which falls on Aug. 4, allowing his 15,000 fans to enjoy the festival with special events.Jul 30, 2013
Korea, China team up for movie production “A Wedding Invitation” directed by Korean director Oh Ki-hwan with all Chinese cast / Courtesy of CJ E&MBy Chung Ah-youngKorean filmmakers are turning their eyes to China where hundreds of millions of people crave high quality films.To woo Chinese audiences, Korean filmmakers are joining a growing tide of co-operative ventures with China. In the past, joint productions between the two nations were done on and off but mostly they fell flat due to a lack of understanding of each other’s markets. Nowadays more aggressive marketing and thorough market research reflecting the tastes of both Chinese and Korean audiences are making a breakthrough to generate more successful joint productions. The projects seem to be a win-win strategy for both parties ― a combination with China which has abundant capital and a vast market and Korea equipped with high quality content-processing technology. A China-produced horror flick, Bunshinsaba 2 starring Korean actress Park Han-byul and directed by An Byung-ki and “Mr. Go,” a co-production between Showbox/Mediaplex Inc Jul 30, 2013
Contract guidelines set for entertainers By Do Je-haeA set of ministry guidelines were announced Tuesday to eradicate unfair business practices in the broadcasting industry that have plagued production companies and entertainers in recent years.The guidelines are included in a new standard contract system that would serve as a basis to settle conflicts over programs jointly created by broadcasters and production companies.Broadcasters rely heavily on production companies for television dramas and other programs. A recent survey showed nearly 75 percent of all television dramas aired last year were produced by an outsourced production company.There are 156 television drama production studios registered with the Culture Ministry, and the competition to win airtime has grown fiercer. Only 34 of those companies made TV dramas that actually made it to the airwaves in 2012.Chronic issues of rights of use and profit sharing, among others, have caused an intense debate within the industry. As a response, the culture ministry has been working to implement a standardized contract system since 2010, in cooperation with industry expertJul 30, 2013By Do Je-hae
